2015 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

NASA adopts a final rule amending the NASA FAR Supplement with the goal of eliminating unnecessary regulation, streamlining burdensome regulation, clarifying language, and simplifying processes where possible.

The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) is implementing a pilot for a Partner Vetting System (PVS) for USAID assistance and acquisition awards. The purpose of the Partner Vetting System is to help mitigate the risk that USAID funds and other resources could inadvertently benefit individuals or entities that are terrorists, supporters of terrorists or affiliated with terrorists, while also minimizing the impact on USAID programs and its implementing partners. This final rule sets out the requirements for the vetting of Federal awards, requirements including award terms for PVS, and applies PVS to a pilot program and any subsequent implementation of PVS that is determined appropriate. It follows publication of a proposed rule and takes into consideration the public comments received.

The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) is confirming the effective date of June 29, 2015, for the direct final rule that was published in the Federal Register on April 15, 2015. This direct final rule amended the NRC's spent fuel storage regulations by revising the NAC International, Inc., MAGNASTOR[supreg] System listing within the ``List of approved spent fuel storage casks'' to include Amendment No. 5 to Certificate of Compliance (CoC) No. 1031. Amendment No. 5 makes numerous changes to the Technical Specifications (TSs) including adding a new damaged fuel assembly, revising the maximum or minimum enrichments for three fuel assembly designs, adding four-zone preferential loading for pressurized-water reactor fuel assemblies and increasing the maximum dose rates in limiting condition for operation (LCO) 3.3.1, and other editorial changes to Appendices A and B of the TSs.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is approving, under the Clean Air Act (CAA), revisions to Ohio's state implementation plan (SIP) as requested by the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency (OEPA) on June 19, 2014. The revisions to Ohio's SIP implement certain EPA regulations for particulate matter smaller than 2.5 micrometers (PM2.5) by establishing definitions related to PM2.5, defining PM2.5 increment levels, and setting PM2.5 class 1 variances. The revisions also incorporate changes made to definitions clarifying terminology consistent with Federal regulations, adding Federal land manager notification requirements, and incorporating minor organizational or typographical changes.

These special conditions are issued for the Boeing Model 747-8 series airplanes. These airplanes, as modified by L-3 Communications Integrated Systems (L-3 Communications), will have a novel or unusual design feature when compared to the state of technology envisioned in the airworthiness standards for transport category airplanes. This design feature is therapeutic oxygen for medical use installed in an executive-interior airplane. The applicable airworthiness regulations do not contain adequate or appropriate safety standards for this design feature. These special conditions contain the additional safety standards that the Administrator considers necessary to establish a level of safety equivalent to that established by the existing airworthiness standards.

The International Trade Administration's Enforcement and Compliance publishes this rule to change the room number of the Administrative Protective Order and Dockets Unit (APO/Dockets Unit). This rule also changes the web address of Enforcement and Compliance's electronic filing system, Antidumping and Countervailing Duty Centralized Electronic Service System (ACCESS). Finally, this rule changes the web address for the location of the ACCESS Handbook on Electronic Filing. Consistent with this action, this rule makes appropriate conforming changes in the regulations.

This action proposes to establish Class E airspace at Wakeeney, KS. Controlled airspace is necessary to accommodate new Standard Instrument Approach Procedures (SIAPs) at Trego Wakeeney Airport. The FAA is proposing this action to enhance the safety and management of Instrument Flight Rules (IFR) operations within the National Airspace System (NAS).

This action establishes Class E airspace at Highmore, SD. Controlled airspace is necessary to accommodate new Standard Instrument Approach Procedures (SIAPs) at Highmore Municipal Airport. The FAA is taking this action to enhance the safety and management of Instrument Flight Rules (IFR) operations for SIAPs at the airport. Additionally, a minor adjustment is made to the geographic coordinates for Highmore Municipal Airport.

We propose to adopt a new airworthiness directive (AD) for certain Bombardier, Inc. Model DHC-8-102, -103, -106, -201, -202, -301, -311, and -315 airplanes. This proposed AD was prompted by reports of un-annunciated failures of the direct current (DC) starter generator, which caused caution indicators of the affected systems to illuminate and prompted emergency descents and landings. This proposed AD would require, for certain airplanes, replacing the DC generator control units (GCUs) with new GCUs and replacing the GCU label. We are proposing this AD to prevent a low voltage condition on the left main DC bus which, during critical phases of flight, could result in the loss of flight management, navigation, and transponder systems, and could affect continued safe flight.

The Department of Agriculture (USDA) is adopting, as a final rule, without change, an interim rule that changed the reporting requirements for commodities exempt from import regulations under section 608(e) (hereinafter referred to as ``8e'') of the Agricultural Marketing Agreement Act of 1937 by adding an option to electronically file an ``Importer's Exempt Commodity Form'' (FV-6 form). These changes were needed to bring the import regulations into conformance with the current practice of filing FV-6 forms electronically using the Marketing Order Online System (MOLS), an internet-based application that was implemented in 2008. The interim rule also changed the import regulations for dates and raisins by moving the FV-6 form-filing procedures for these two commodities to the safeguard procedure regulations for specialty crops and by making other administrative updates. These changes to the import regulations were also required to support the International Trade Data System (ITDS), a key White House economic initiative that will automate the filing of import and export information by the trade. All government agencies that are participating in the ITDS initiative, including AMS, are required by U.S. Customs and Border Protection (hereinafter referred to as ``CBP'') to make updates to import and export regulations to provide for the electronic entry of shipment data.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is approving a State Implementation Plan (SIP) revision submitted by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. The revisions pertain to control of volatile organic compound (VOC) emissions from offset lithographic printing and letterpress printing, flexible package printing, and adhesives, sealants, primers, and solvents. These revisions also meet the requirement to adopt Reasonably Available Control Technology (RACT) for sources covered by EPA's Control Technique Guideline (CTG) recommendations for the following categories: Offset lithographic printing and letterpress printing, flexible package printing, and adhesives, sealants, primers, and solvents. EPA is approving these revisions in accordance with the requirements of the Clean Air Act (CAA).

NMFS implements accountability measures (AMs) for the commercial sector for Atlantic dolphin (dolphin) in the exclusive economic zone (EEZ) off the Atlantic states (Maine through the east coast of Florida) for the 2015 fishing year through this temporary rule. Commercial landings for dolphin, as estimated by the Science and Research Director, are projected to reach the commercial annual catch limit (ACL) by June 24, 2015. Therefore, NMFS closes the commercial sector for dolphin on June 24, 2015, through the remainder of the fishing year in the exclusive economic zone (EEZ) of the Atlantic. This closure is necessary to protect the dolphin resource.

The Department of Veterans Affairs is correcting and clarifying a proposed rule that published in the Federal Register on June 17, 2015 (80 FR 34794).

The NCUA Board (Board) is continuing its comprehensive review of its regulations to identify outdated, unnecessary, or burdensome regulatory requirements imposed on federally insured credit unions, as contemplated by section 2222 of the Economic Growth and Regulatory Paperwork Reduction Act of 1996 (EGRPRA). This second decennial review of regulations began when the Board issued its first EGRPRA notice on May 22, 2014, covering the two categories of ``Applications and Reporting'' and ``Powers and Activities.'' The second notice followed, covering the three categories of ``Agency Programs,'' ``Capital,'' and ``Consumer Protection,'' which was published on December 19, 2014. The Board continues the review process with the publication of this third notice, covering the next three categories of rules: ``Corporate Credit Unions,'' ``Directors, Officers and Employees,'' and ``Money Laundering.'' This review presents a significant opportunity to consider the possibilities for burden reduction in groups of similar regulations. The Board welcomes comment on the categories, the order of review, and all other aspects of this initiative in order to maximize the review's effectiveness.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is approving a State Implementation Plan (SIP) revision submitted by the State of Connecticut. The revision updates state regulations containing ambient air quality standards (AAQS) to be consistent with EPA's national ambient air quality standards (NAAQS). The intended effect of this action is to approve these regulations into the Connecticut SIP. This action is being taken in accordance with the Clean Air Act (CAA).

This action proposes to amend Class D and Class E airspace and remove Class E airspace in the Columbus, OH, area. Decommissioning of the non-directional radio beacon (NDB) and/or cancellation of NDB approaches at Ohio State University Airport, Columbus, OH, has made this action necessary for the safety and management of Instrument Flight Rules (IFR) operations at the airport. Also, the geographic coordinates of the airport, as well as the Port Columbus International Airport, will be updated.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is approving a State Implementation Plan (SIP) revision submitted by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. This revision pertains to the Air Pollution Control portion of the Allegheny County Health Department (ACHD) rules and regulations and consists of changes to the regulations establishing installation permit application and administration fees and open burning permit application fees. EPA is approving these revisions to Pennsylvania's SIP in accordance with the requirements of the Clean Air Act (CAA).

The Commission proposes to approve revisions to the Transmission Operations and Interconnection Reliability Operations and Coordination Reliability Standards, developed by the North American Electric Reliability Corporation, which the Commission has certified as the Electric Reliability Organization responsible for developing and enforcing mandatory Reliability Standards.

In this Final Rule, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (Commission) is amending Rule 508 of the Commission's Rules of Practice and Procedure to eliminate the requirement that participants in Commission trial-type evidentiary hearings must provide paper copies of all exhibits introduced as evidence. The Final Rule will facilitate a shift toward electronic hearing procedures which should improve the efficiency and administrative convenience of the Commission hearing process, reduce the burden and expense associated with paper exhibits, and facilitate the compilation and transmittal of the hearing record to the Commission in electronic format.

The General Services Administration (GSA) is issuing a final rule to amend the General Services Administration Acquisition Regulation (GSAR) to update the text and clauses regarding Hazardous Materials Identification and Material Safety Data.

EPA issued a proposed rule in the Federal Register of May 29, 2015, concerning Banda de Lupinus albus doce (BLAD), in or on all food commodities. This document corrects typographical errors.

We propose to adopt a new airworthiness directive (AD) for all The Boeing Company Model 737-100, -200, -200C, -300, -400, and -500 series airplanes. This proposed AD was prompted by a report of a crack of the forward leg of the left front spar lower chord and cracks on the lower wing skin at three fastener holes common to the nacelle outboard side load fitting. This proposed AD would require repetitive inspections for cracks on the front spar lower chord, inspar skin, and wing skin, and corrective action if necessary. We are proposing this AD to detect and correct fatigue cracking of the forward leg of the front spar lower chord, inspar skin, and wing skin common to the nacelle outboard side load fitting, which could adversely affect the structural integrity of the wing.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is approving a State Implementation Plan (SIP) submittal from the State of New Mexico pertaining to the implementation, maintenance, and enforcement of the 2008 National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS or standards) for Ozone (O3) and the 2010 NAAQS for Nitrogen Dioxide (NO2). EPA is also approving the finding that the State of New Mexico meets the 2006 fine particulate matter (PM2.5) NAAQS requirement pertaining to interstate transport of air pollution and visibility protection.

This action proposes to modify Class D airspace, Class E surface area airspace, and Class E airspace extending upward from 700 feet above the surface, at Stockton Metropolitan Airport, Stockton, CA. After a biennial review, and the decommissioning of the Manteca VHF omnidirectional radio range and distance measuring equipment (VOR/DME), the FAA found it necessary to amend the airspace areas for the safety and management of Instrument Flight Rules (IFR) operations for Standard Instrument Approach Procedures (SIAPs) at the airport.